Khans was rather remarkable. Having left his native country, he spent some time in travelling in Europe, and especially in England, where he became a convert to Protestantism, and having married an Englishwoman, returned to the Crimea as a missionary, and settled at Simferopol. His daughter has since been received as a maid of honour at St. Petersburg.
Having still a visit to pay, on our way to Simferopol, we were obliged to exchange the society of our obliging Tartar, for that of our yamshtshik, who had already driven up to the door, and to abandon the luxurious divans for the dancing straw-bags of our jolting pavosky. We accordingly took our leave, with many acknowledgments of the hospitality shown us. Before leaving Yalta, we had received from the post-master a letter addressed to His Excellency the Privy Councillor, Alexander Gregorievitsh, former governor of the Taurian peninsula, who lived a few miles from Simferopol. As the letter was very large, quite a packet, we considered that it probably contained some important despatches, and it would, therefore, be most prudent to deliver it ourselves into his hands. On arriving at his estate, we were informed that his Excellency was taking his afternoon's nap, and when, after waiting a considerable time, the sleeper awoke, and we were admitted, the important despatch was opened, and found to contain — a parcel of patterns of cloth, sent by a tailor in Odessa, for his Excellency's selection ! The laugh was loud and general ; but whimsical as had been our introduction, we were easily persuaded to lengthen our visit. His Excellency showed us his library, filled with the best historical works, and probably unique in the Crimea. He lives at his Taurian villa all the year round, and may well do so, his house being richly furnished with whatever can contribute to the enjoyment of body or mind. Thus had we an opportunity of inspecting the luxurious dwelling' of a wealthy Russian almost immediately after we had left the palace of a Tartar noble.
Our sartorial despatch afforded us abundant matter for merriment on our way to
The town of Simferopol is entirely a production of modern times, although a small place existed here in the days of the Khans, on the site now occupied by the Tartar quarter of the town. The capital of the Khans was Baktshiserai, which lay in a little hollow in a rocky valley. The Russians, who always like every thing on a grand scale, forsook this nest, and laid out the town of Simferopol in their own taste, with streets of such a breadth that one can scarcely see across them, and in which horse races might be held without in the least disturbing the ordinary traffic. It is very central in its position, well adapted to be, as it is, the seat of the peninsular government, and contains, like all the new Russian cities, many handsome houses, decorated with green paint and rows of columns. There are here from forty to fifty German families, mostly mechanics from the neighbouring colonies — carpenters, watchmakers, painters, 8cc. The Tartars carry on the trades of saddlers, coppersmiths, shoemakers, and the like. The markets, especially that for fruit, appear exceedingly well furnished.
The road towards th« ancient capital, Baktshiserai, leads round the foot of a promontory, and has on the right notliing but the wide monotonous steppe, and on the left a Ime of low, treeless, grassy hills. The country improves, however, as we approach the town, and the landscape, featureless till then, becomes more distinct and marked, the hills are clothed with wood, and at length the road enters a very pretty valley.